WHAT’S HAPPENING AROUND AUSTRALIAN THEATRES?

CAST ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Rocky Horror Show

With only one day of rehearsals, Adam Rennie (Melba, Big Fish) completed his first on stage technical rehearsal as Frank N Furter in front of an audience of 2000 at Adelaide’s Festival Centre on Tuesday, January 9th 2018.

The Gordon Frost Organisation and GWB Entertainment have confirmed after his excellent performance that Rennie, who received a standing ovation, will perform the role of Frank N Furter during the upcoming Brisbane and Perth Seasons.

Rennie will be joined on stage by Kristian Lavercombe as Riff Raff, Cameron Daddo as The Narrator, Amanda Harrison as Magenta, Nadia Komazec as Columbia, Brendan Irving as Rocky, Rob Mallet as Brad and Michelle Smitheram as Janet. The ensemble cast includes Geoffrey Winter, Bianca Baykara, Ross Chisari, Hollie James, Hayley Martin and Stephen McDowell.

With rehearsals commencing this coming week, Invisible Wall Productions and Sugary Rum Productions, in association with the Hayes Theatre Company, have announced the final cast members for the Australian Premiere of the hit Off-Broadway musical The View Upstairs.

The role of Richard will be played by Thomas Campbell who has recently returned from Edinburgh, Scotland, where he performed his one-man show Misterman. Anthony Harkin (Kinky Boots) will portray Buddy and recent WAAPA graduate Nick Errol will be playing COPS.

OPENING NIGHTS

American Idiot

Friday, January 12th saw Green Day’s American Idiot open at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall to a packed audience. The show, which features songs from Green Day, is the story of three boyhood friends each searching for meaning post-9/11. The show commences previews in Adelaide on January 19th before touring to Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Darwin. Tickets are available from http://americanidiotlive.com.au/tickets/

–

Darlinghurst Heights

Tuesday, January 9th saw the opening of Darlinghurst Heights at Sydney’s Hayes Theatre. The show tells the story of Sydney’s most notorious strip and explores the seductiveness of a life authentically lived, where people can live without fear of intolerance.

Hayes Theatre celebrates the 30th anniversary of the show with a new production from Helpmann Award-winning director Lee Lewis.

Birdie Productions’ return season of Three in the Bed opened to a full house on Friday, January 12th at Sydney’s New Theatre. The show is an outrageous new musical by Australian songwriter and actor Jonathon Holmes.

PERFORMANCES

Cast members of Mamma Mia!, Sarah Morrison and Ian Stenlake performed the National Anthem at the Brisbane International women’s and men’s finals respectively on January 6th and 7th.

Congratulations Sarah and Ian!

–

CELEBRATIONS

SHOW MILESTONES

The Book of Mormon celebrates 400th show

Sunday, February 7th’s matinee performance marked 400 performances for hit musical The Book of Mormon. The show is currently showing at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre until February 4th before moving to Sydney’s Lyric Theatre from February 28th.

–

CD RELEASES

Muriel’s Wedding cast recording released

The long-awaited Muriel’s Wedding cast recording was released this week and is available in hard copy at performances or online. If you prefer to download digitally, the recording is available on iTunes, Google Play, Apple Music and Spotify.

The CD includes 21 songs with music and lyrics written by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall and sung by the show’s stars including Maggie McKenna, Madeleine Jones, Gary Sweet, Justine Clarke and Helen Dallimore.

–

BIRTHS

Parker Finn Smith

Parker Finn Smith was born on Sunday, January 7th 2018 to parents Jillian Green (Singin’ in the Rain) and Mike Smith (Billy Elliot, The King & I, The 39 Steps). Congratulations to you both and welcome Parker.

–

OPENING SHOWS

NEW SOUTH WALES

Qudos Bank Arena: Grease – The Arena Experience (January 19th)

–

QUEENSLAND

Brisbane Powerhouse Theatre: Miracle City (January 24th)

QPAC Lyric Theatre: TheRocky Horror Show (January 17th)

–

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Adelaide Festival Centre: American Idiot (January 19th)

–

VICTORIA

Chapel off Chapel: Falsettos (February 1st)

Regent Theatre: Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (January 21st)

–

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Crown Theatre: American Idiot (February 2nd)

–

CLOSING SHOWS

NEW SOUTH WALES

Capitol Theatre: Wizard of Oz (February 4th)

Hayes Theatre: Darlinghurst Heights (January 27th)

Lyric Theatre: Beautiful: The Carole King Story (February 4th)

Roslyn Packer Theatre: Muriel’s Wedding (January 27th)

New Theatre: Three in the Bed (January 26th)

Qudos Bank Arena: Grease – The Arena Experience (January 20th)

–

QUEENSLAND

QPAC Lyric Theatre: Mamma Mia! (February 4th)

QPAC Lyric Theatre: The Rocky Horror Show (February 11th)

Brisbane Powerhouse: Miracle City (February 3rd)

–

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Adelaide Festival Centre: American Idiot (January 28th)

–

VICTORIA

Chapel off Chapel: Falsettos (February 11th)

Her Majesty’s Theatre: Aladdin (January 28th)

Princess Theatre: The Book of Mormon (February 4th)

–

AUSSIES ABROAD

Oz Day NYC Awards

Congratulations to Stella Pulo (Richard III), who will be awarded an Honouree Award at the Oz Day NYC Awards, held at a ceremony at Pier A in New York on Friday, January 26th. Pulo will be the first Australian to be honoured with lifetime membership into The Actors Studio.